Machine for cleaning and separating the fibers of leaves



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. BEOVIDE.

MACHINE EOE CLEANING AND SEPARATING TEE FIBERS OF LEAVES.

No. 251,818. Patented Jan. 8,1882.

/VENTOR WITNESSES:

WT M v WWW gwiz ubd/ I BY ATTORNEYS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. BE-OVID-E.

'MAGEINE FOR CLEANING AND SEPABATING THE FIBERS 0F LEAVES.

Patented Jan. 3,1882.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Fhnlo-Lllbngrupher. Washmgtnn. D. C.

. (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shet 3.

E. BEOVIDE.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND SEPARATING THE FIBERS 0F LEAVES.

N0. 251,818. Patented Ja1 1.3,1882.

WITNESSES: u

fidm/miu l BY 11mm ATTORNEYS.

I V O E B E M MACHINE FOR GLEANING AND SEPARATING THE FIBERS 015 LEAVES.

Patented Jan; 8,188 2.

INVENTOP. (5%

ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Phuw-Lllhagmpllcn WnshinglmL [1.0

0 1 responding parts in all the figures.

3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENIO BEOVIDE, OF MINERAL DE OATOROE, MEXICO.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING AND SEP ARATlNG TH E FIBERS 0F LEAVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 251,818, dated January3, 1882. Application filed August 31, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom t't may concern Be it known that I, EUGENIO BEOVIDE, ofMineral de Oatorce, Mexico, have invented a new and Improved Machine forCleaning and Separating the Fibers of Leaves, of which the following isa specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved machine forremoving the epidermis and filling'cellular tissue from the fibers ofsuch leaves as those of the Agave Americana, or aloe, Hcmlquenzcchnqu'itta mm"- qut'sia, or. Ooprosma, and other plants growing inMexico, Central and SouthAmerica, which fibers are then used in theindustries in the same manner as hemp and jute fibers, &c.

The invention consists of a frame in which two or more rollers providedwith yielding, rasping, and scraping knives and with yielding, feeding,and pressing blades guided by suitable guide-rim gs on the frame arejournaled above each other and are surrounded by suitable casings, intothe upper one of which the leaves; are fed from an inclined table by adjustable feed-rollers and are drawn downward thrOugh the severalreceptacles by adjustable feed-rollersjournaled between each pair ofraspjng-rollers. The rasping-rollers revolve very rapidly and scrape allcellular matter from the fibers, this waste being thrown out throughopenings in the casings and the cleaned fibers passing out between tworollers below the lowest rasping-roller;

The invention further consists in a rasping- I roller provided with aseries of radial longitudinally-gro'oved wings containingradiallyniovable rasping and scrapingknives and feeding and pressingblades,which are pressed outward radiallyby springs contained inrecesses in these wings.

The invention further consists in the combination, with the scraping andpressing rollers, of cog-wheels, shal'ts, and pinions for rotatin'g theseveral parts at the various speeds required.

The invention also consists in the arrangements and construction ofparts and details,as will be more fully described hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings,formiug part of thisspecification, in which similar letters of reference indicate cor-Figurel is a rear elevation of my improved machine for cleaning andseparating the fibers of leaves from the surrounding tissues. Fig.

' 2 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of one of,

the scraper-rollers of the machine, showing the scraper-knives inelevation. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the machine. Fig. 4. is alongitudinal sectional elevation of the scraper-roller, showingthefeedingand pressing blades in elevation. Fig. 5 is a detail sectionalelevation of part of one blade and its spring. Fig. 6 is a longitudinalelevation of the bearing and its adjusting-spring for one pair offeed-rollers. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal elevation of one of the bearingsof a rasping or scraping roller. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of themachine, the cogwheels being removed. Fig. 9 is a cross-sectionalelevation of the raspin g or scraping roller on the line y 3 Fig. 4.Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional elevation of the same on the line 2 c,

Fig. 4. Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional elevation of the machine on thelinewm, Fig. 1. Fig. 12 is a longitudinal elevation of one of therasping or cutting rollers. Fig. 13 is a partial longitudinalsectionalelevation of one of scraperrollers, showing the pressing or feedingknives in elevation.

A rasping or scraping roller, A, is formed of I a shaft, A, providedwith a series of radialand longitudinal wings, A which are groovedlongitudinally and contain either a blade, 13 or 13, these blades beingheld in the grooved wings by screws or pintles a. passing through thegrooved wings and through transverse slots 11 in the blades, thuspermitting a radial movement of the blades. Spiral springs B arecontainedin recesses A formed in the grooves of the wings A ,and eachhas a centrally-apertured cap, B as shown in Figs. 5 and 10, resting onthe outer end, which cap fits into a recess, c, in the edges of theblades B or B and a projection, c, in the middle of the inner edge ofthis recess passes into the aperture 0 of the cap B and thus holds thecap in the recess, as clearly shown in Fig 5. The several springs, B,acting on a blade, B or B press this blade outward. The blades B serveto rasp and scrape and have a beveled outer edge, and the blades B?serve to press and push or feed the leaves and are provided at the outeredge with a longitudinal head or rib, 13*, having a triangularcross-section, as shown in Figs. Sand 10. I prefer to have two oppositerasping or scraping blades, B, and two opposite pressing or feedingblades, B on each scraper-roller A.

The ends of the presser-blades B extend to the inner surface of the endwalls, 0, of the wings A as do the rasping-blades B also; but the latterhave a projection, O, at the upper edge at each end, the end of thisprojection being flush with the outer surface of the end wall of thewing, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer or upper edge of the projection O isrounded. Two or more of these scraper-rollers A are arranged above eachother and separated a certain distance in frames D D, the shafts A ofthese rollers being journaled in bearings D attached to the outer sidesof the frames D D and across openings E in these frames, into whichopenings the ends of the scraperrollers pass. The openings E are of suchdiameter as to admit the scraper-rollers A when the projections C of theblades B rest on the outer edges of the end walls, 0, of the wings, asis shown in Fig. 2.

Each scraper-roller A is surrounded by a cylindrical casing, F, ofprecisely the same diameter as the apertures E. These casings F have alongitudinal opening. F, at one side and a longitudinal opening, F, atthe bottom. The uppermost casing F has a longitudinal opening or slot, Fin the side opposite the opening F, but has no top opening; but thelower casings F are not provided with this second side opening, F, buthave a longitudinal top opening, F The bottom openings, F extendthroughout the entire length of the easing F, but the side and topopenings, F F, are not quite as long as the casings, so that shortsegmental ridges I will project from the inner surface of the walls D Dfor a purpose that will be specified hereinafter.

' Two fluted feed-rollers, G G, are journaled in front of the opening Fof the upper casing F and parallel with this casing, so that theserollers G G will feed the leaves from an inclined table, H, into theuppermost casing F through the opening F Two smooth feedingrollers, J,are mounted on shafts J J J, re-

spectively journaled in the frames D D between each two casings F, insuch a manner that the lines of the peripheries of these feedrollers Jwill be in contact with. the innerperiphcry of the casin g F above eachset of rollers, but will be about half of an inch from the innerperiphery of the casing F below each set of rollers, as is clearly shownin Fig. 11. The feed-rollers J will thus almost fill the bottom or loweropening, F, of each casing F. The

feed-rollers G and J all have one journal-box, g, fixed, and the otherjournal-box, 71, made -1novable, these movable journal-boxes It beingadjusted by means of a spiral or rubber spring, K, and a set-screw, L.Both the fixed and slidingjournal-boxes are held in a frame, L.

The shafts A of the rasping or scraping rollers A all project from theframe D, and on each shaft A a cog-wheel, M, is rigidly mount ed, thesecog-wheels engaging with each other and being of the same size. I

' On the uppermost shaft A apulle-y, N, for a driving-belt is mounted,and on the lowest shaft A is mounted a pinion, O, engaging with a largecog-wheel, P, mounted on a shaft, P,

on the opposite end of which is also mounted a small cog-wheel, Pengaging with a cog- Wheel, Q, mounted on a shaft, Q, on which ismounted'a pinion, Q engaging with a large cog-wheel, R, mounted on theshaft J of the driving-roller J of the lowest set of feed-rollers J. Onthis shaft J a cog-wheel, R and a pinion, S are mounted, the pinionengaging with a pinion, T on the shaft of the adjustable roller J, andthe cog-wheel R en ga ging with a cog-wheel, E on the shaft J of theroller with the fixed bearing of the second set of feed-rollers. ()nthis shaft J a pinion, S is mounted, engaging with a pinion,T on theshaft of the corresponding adjustable feedroller. The wheel R engageswith a cogwheel, R, on the shaft J of the roller with the fixed bearingof the uppermost set of feedrollers J, and a pinion, S, mounted on thisshaft J engages with a pinion, T, on the corresponding adjustablefeed-roller J. A cogwheel, U, mounted on the shaft J, engages with acog-wheel, V, on the shaft G of theupper fluted feed-roller G. A pinion,W, on this shaft G engages with a pinion, X, on the shaft G of the lowerroller Gr. As each alternating scraping or rasping roller A rotates inopposite directions the openings F of the casings F must alternately bein the front and rear of the machine.

The operation is as follows: The leaves, stems, &c., are passed downtheinclined table H, in between the fluted rollers G, which seize them andpass them transversely through the opening F into the uppermost cylinderF. The presser-blades B and the scraper-blades B will immediately seizetheleaves and draw is removed-that is, from that side exposed to theaction of the blades B B .As has been previously stated, thepresser-blades B are.

shorter than the scraper-blades and the aperture F is longer than theother apertures ot' the casing F. The presser blades B are pressed intotheir corresponding grooved wings by the inner sides of the casings Fand by the segmental ridges I formed at the ends of the openings F, F,and F; but as there are no such ridges at the ends of the openings F thesprings B can press the presser-blade downward in between the rollers JJ every time the presser-blade arrives at this opening F, as shown inFig. 13. As the head or rib B of each presser-blade is beveled, theouter edge of the presser-blade will not catch on'the roller J, but willslide up the same, and when the edge of the presser-blade arrives at thelongi- 'tudinal edge of the opening F it is pressed shoots outwardwhenarrivin g at this opening, 850. The rasping or-scraping blade Bcannot pass in between the rollers J, for the projections 0 project evenbeyond the ends of the opening F and thus hold the knife within theaperture E. This is absolutely necessary, as the blades B would cut, andtear the leaves and fibers if they had the same movements asthe'presser-bla'des B By passing in between the rollers J J thispresser-blade presses the fibers or those parts of the leaves that havenot been thrown out through the opening F of the upper casing]? inbetween the feedrollers J, which catch them and pass them into the nextlower casing. The rasping or scraping cylinder of the second casing Frevolves in the inverse direction of the rasping-rollerof the uppermostcasing F. The other side of the leaf is thus rasped andscraped and thefibers are again seized by feed-rollers J and passed into the next lowercasing F, where all the remnants of the epidermis or cellular matter areremoved and the cleaned fiber is seized by the rollers J of the lowesteasing F and are ejected.

If desired, more than three scraping or rasping rollers may be used, asthe circumstances may require. i

It will be observed that the gearing is so arranged that the feedrollers J rotate about onefit'tieth as fast as the scrapingrollers A,thus permitting the blades to act onthe leaves a certain time beforethese leaves are removed from one easing into another. The fibersobtained are about from eight to twelve inches long and resemble hemp orjute fibers.

The edge of the blades B must not be sharp, but are preferably dulled orrounded so as to rasp and scrape and not cut. The springs B must bepowerful enough to press the blades on the leaves withsufficient forceto break and tear the epidermis without breaking or cutting the fiber.The rollers J have their lowest point slightly above the highest pointof the next lower casing F, so that the leaves can pass into the lowercasing F more conveniently and without producing undue resistanceorfriction.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. In a machine for cleaning the fibers ofleaves and plants, the combination, with the rpller A, provided with thelongitudinallygrooved wings A thesprin gs B, and the means ior securingthem in the said grooved wings, of the rasping or scraping blades B,having beveled outer edge, and the pressing or feeding blades B providedwith heads 13, triangular in cross-section, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth. i 2. In a raspingor scraping roller, A, for machinesfor cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecombination, with theshaft A and the longitudinally-grooved radial'wings A provided withrecesses A of the blades B B provided with recesses c, the springs B,and

the caps B substantially as herein shown and described, and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a machinefor cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecombination, with the rotating cylinder, provided with spring supportedrasping or scraping blades B formed with projections 0,01" theendcasing,(3, formed with apertures into which the said projections extend,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecombination, with the frames D D provided with apertures E, and thecasings F, having the same diameter as the apertures E, the rasping orscraping rollers A, contained in the casings F, of the feedfrollers J J,located between the casings F, and of gearing for operating the raspingor scraping rollers and the feed rollers, substantially as herein shownand described, and for the purpose set forth.

5. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecylindricalcasings F, constructed, substantially as herein shown anddescribed, with a bottom longitudinal opening, F extending throughoutthe entire length of the casing, with a top longitudinal opening, Fextending to within a short distance from the ends of the casing, andwith a longitudinal side opening, F, extending to within a shortdistance of the ends of the casing and forming segmental ribs I on theinner sides of the frames D D substantially as herein shown anddescribed, and for the purpose set forth.

6. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecombination, with the casings F, of the feed-rollers J, located betweentwo casings in such a manner that the periphery of the rollers J willtouch the inner periphery ot' the casingF above the feed-rollers andwill be a short distance above or frointhe inner periphery of the casingF below the feedrollers, substantially as herein shown and described,and for the purpose set forth. i

7. In a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecombination, with the frames D D of the rasping and scraping rollersA,the feedrollers J and G, the casings F, the cog-wheels M, the pinion O,the cog-wheel I, the shaft P, the cog-Wheels P Q, the pinion Q thecog-wheels R B B R the pinions S T S 'I S T the cog-wheels U and V, and

the pinions W and X, substantially as herein shown and described, andfor the purpose set forth.

8. In' a machine for cleaning the fibers of leaves and plants, thecombination, with the rasping or scraping rollers A, the feed-rollers J,and the casings F,"of devices for rotating the rasping or scrapingrollers with a much greater rapidity than that of the feed-rollers,substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose setforth.

. EUGENIO B-EOVIDE. Witnesses:

OSCAR F. GUNZ, (J. SEDewIcK.

too

